Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it shall live. – Numbers 21:8
The people of Israel were nearing the end of their 40 years of wandering since leaving Egypt. With God’s help, they had defeated the Canaanites, and they were closing in on entry to the Promised Land. In all those years of wandering, God had provided for them in miraculous ways. However, they had gone so far as to call the manna that God gave them loathsome and were complaining once again that they had no food or water. As Pastor Matthew Goldstine said, “Suddenly God is no longer God. Suddenly His provision isn’t good enough.” Their rejection of His provision was a rejection of Him.
God took their rebellion seriously, it had consequences. He sent fiery serpents among them with a bite so terrible some would die. However, the Lord again provided restoration for them for those who repented. He instructed Moses to cast a bronze replica of the serpents and set it on a pole so that anyone who looked at it would be forgiven and live.
Thousands of years later, Jesus would recall that incident to one of Israel’s religious leaders, Nicodemus. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). Theologian and professor Dr. Arthur Carson wrote, “That bronze snake on a pole was the means God used to give new (physical) life to the children of Israel if they were bitten in the plague of snakes that had been sent in as a punishment for the persistent murmuring. By God’s provision, new life was graciously granted.” Bible scholar and author Dr. Bob Utley said, “The central truth is that humans must trust and obey God’s word, even when they do not fully understand it.”
Nicodemus would not have understood what Jesus declared until he saw the Savior nailed to the cross. No one has escaped the snake bite of sin, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But, as Jesus also told Nicodemus, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). The provision has been made. “Lifted up was He to die; ‘It is finished’ was his cry; now in heaven exalted high: Hallelujah, what a Savior!”
Today’s Verse: Numbers 21:8
And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: John 3:1-18
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
